


Across Two Minds

by lionessvalenti



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bruce & Hulk Interaction, Getting Together, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-24
Updated: 2020-01-24
Packaged: 2021-02-27 12:07:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22276828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lionessvalenti/pseuds/lionessvalenti
Summary: After Loki helps Bruce with a Hulk problem, Bruce isn't sure what to think.
Relationships: Bruce Banner/Loki
Comments: 10
Kudos: 153
Collections: MCU Space Ships 2019





	Across Two Minds

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CatalenaMara](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CatalenaMara/gifts).



Bruce entered the small, spare room. There wasn't a lot of unoccupied space on the _Statesman_ , but this room wasn't large enough to house anyone, nor was it anywhere near anywhere storage was required, like a pantry to a kitchen. It was a blank room with no real purpose.

The Asgardian healers sometimes used it if anyone needed a quiet place to rest for a few days, and as such, had added a bedroll and a zen little water fountain with a glowing warm light that had been somewhere else on the ship and no one wanted. Bruce had taken their cue. When the room wasn't being used by the infirm, he'd found a little getaway for peace and quiet.

And, as he discovered when he stepped inside, he wasn't the only one.

Loki sat in one corner, eyes closed, and his forearms resting on his knees, pulled nearly to his chest. His head rested against the wall, hair shining in the dim light. One eye cracked open at the sound of footfalls. Even in his fully human state, Bruce walked heavy.

"Sorry," Bruce said, already taking a step backwards. If he was looking for relaxation, spending time in a cramped room with Loki wasn't the way to go. He stumbled over his own feet and almost fell into the wall. He stood upright. "I'll go."

Loki, now with both eyes open, held up a hand as though to stop him. Bruce didn't say another word, but he was still shuffling out the door. "Stay. If anyone on this ship requires meditation, it's you."

Bruce stopped. "I could say the same about you. How likely are you to murder Thor and seize control of the ship?"

The corner of Loki's mouth quirked up in half a smirk. "Today? Low. Tomorrow? It's anyone's guess. How likely are you to punch a hole through the hull, sucking us all into the endless void?"

That sounded pretty dramatic, but maybe Loki had thought the same thing of Bruce's question. He shrugged. "Right now? Not likely. In a couple hours, who knows. I don't know what he's thinking, or if after being in control for two years, he's ready to take a break. It's not like I can sit down and talk to the other guy, ask him how he's feeling today."

Loki sat up a little bit straighter. "What if you could?"

"Like, what would I say to him? I don't know, I--"

"No, what if you could properly sit down and talk to him? He's a part of your mind, your very being. If you would allow me, I could enter you mind--"

"Whoa, no, no, no." Bruce held up both hands to stop Loki right there. "You're not entering anything. One voice rattling around in my head is enough, I don't need to add you to the mix. I haven't forgotten you mind controlling my friends. You think I'm going to volunteer?"

Loki rolled his eyes. "Oh, that. I couldn't replicate that on my own. I only managed it through the use of the sceptre. The worst I could do is perhaps put you to sleep for a few hours. I used to do that to Thor when we were children, as a joke."

"Like turning into a snake and then stabbing him kind of joke?"

"A bit, yes. I assure you, Bruce, I have no mind control magic. But what I do have could allow you to speak to your counterpart in a safe environment. For us all."

That bit made Bruce smile, despite himself. Loki was afraid of the Hulk. While Banner didn't have an upper hand when it came to Loki, the Hulk _did_. 

The real question was how much would he trust Loki's assurances? It wasn't far, but the chance to sit down and talk with the Hulk, to really know where his mind was, it was tempting.

"No tricks?" Bruce asked, finally taking a few steps back into the room. 

Loki smiled brilliantly. "It's all tricks."

"But you're not going to--"

"Do anything other than what I've suggested? It wasn't my intention. You're possibly a ticking time bomb. While Valkyrie could perhaps corral the beast, there is no predicting what you or he might do. It is in my best interest, as well as your own, to see where his head is, as it were."

He wasn't wrong, and that alone gave Bruce an uneasy feeling in his stomach. But was it worth opening himself up to Loki? Exposing himself, his entire mind, Bruce and Hulk alike, to a known killer who would go back on any promises offered at the slightest whim?

When Bruce didn't respond, Loki relaxed against the wall again. "We could get a witness, if you'd prefer."

"No," Bruce said quickly. For some reason, he didn't want anyone else to know he was even considering this, let alone actually _doing_ it. He twisted his hands together. "What do I need to do?"

Loki leaned forward and patted the empty floor in front of him. "Sit."

Bruce glanced over his shoulder, like someone was going to barge in and -- what? See? Stop him? Laugh at him? There was no one, of course. With no excuses, except maybe deciding to say no, which would have been a perfectly reasonable, Bruce sat down.

"What do I have to do?"

Loki smiled, pleased. "It's quite simple. You'll need to relax."

"I'm not great at that," Bruce admitted. 

Scooting forward, Loki spread his legs so they stretched onto either side of Bruce's body. He was so close, Bruce could smell the mild scent of the soap they all used, but it was different on Loki than it was on himself.

"I'm going to..." Loki slowly raised his hands on either side of Bruce's head before he brought them in, pressing both of them into Bruce's hair. His fingers were cool and his touch made Bruce's head swim. Loki scoffed. "You have to trust me."

"Not likely," Bruce muttered. His heart was racing, but not it wasn't the angry pace of the Hulk.

Loki tilted his head to the side. "If you won't trust me, you'll need to allow me, regardless. Close your eyes, Bruce. Relax."

There was something in the way Loki said his name that allowed Bruce to release the tension in his shoulders. It really should have been the other way around, but as he looked Loki in the eye, Bruce had the distinct feeling this was going to work out just fine.

"Close your eyes," Loki repeated.

This time, Bruce did as he was told. "What now?"

"Quiet your mind. Let me do my work."

Quieting his mind was more difficult than it sounded, but Bruce tried to be soothed by the sound of the waterfall and Loki's breathing. When it happened, he could feel Loki pulling into his mind. It was almost like when his mind shifted from himself to the Hulk, but instead of a takeover, it was a gentle penetration, the magic curling around him like a blanket.

When Bruce opened his eyes,he was standing in a completely different room. It was large, painted in huge red and white stripes. Bruce's heart immediately began to pound. He didn't recognize this room specifically, but he knew the style and the architecture. They were on Sakaar.

"Interesting." Loki took a step forward, peering around curiously. "It seems the beast chose the location for our meeting. That tells me who's really in charge."

"Hulk home."

Bruce spun around. The Hulk had entered from a hallway, bare-chested and in some kind of leather kilt, with big, heavy beads around his neck. He'd seen plenty of footage of the Hulk, and he had _some_ kinds of memories, but he'd never stood face to face with the Hulk like this.

"Oh," Bruce said. "Hey, buddy. I'm not -- not looking for a fight here."

Hulk laughed. "Banner tiny. Hulk win."

"Yeah, yeah, you would." Bruce took a step back. Christ, he was huge. He could recall the sensation of being that big, but it was nothing like standing in front of him.

"It would do you no good anyway to fight," Loki said. "We're all merely of the mind here."

Hulk turned on Loki with glaring, narrowed eyes. He took a step closer, hand out, as if to grasp Loki, like King Kong grabbing Fay Wray. "Pathetic."

Loki vanished from the spot where he was before Hulk could reach him and reappeared on the other side of the room. "I'm only here to facilitate the conversation. Fighting here offers nothing except frustration. You'll get nothing from it."

"I just want to talk," Bruce said, stepping forward toward the Hulk, one hand raised in a silent surrender. Hulk looked at him, pretty unimpressed. "You've been in charge for a long time, and... and that was a good thing. It freaked me out at first, knowing you'd been in control, but after everything, after living in _space_ , I know it was what we both needed. I wouldn't have made it here -- on Sakaar. You took care of us when we needed you to."

Hulk blinked at him, confused. "Hulk smash. Hulk win." He pounded himself on the chest. "No caring. Champion."

"Yeah. And you protected me from it all, whether you realized it or not. Sakaar would have crushed me, and you crushed it instead."

A few seconds of silence passed as Hulk considered this information, then a smile spread across his face. He actually looked quite pleased with himself.

We have the same smile, Bruce thought, half amazed at the notion.

"Hulk protect."

"You did." Bruce moved closer to him. He wasn't sure if Loki's assurance that fighting wouldn't hurt here was right or just something he'd said to keep Hulk from clobbering them both, but Bruce was now in very close punching range if Hulk wanted to test the theory. "And I think if we're both really smart about it, we can figure out a way to keep protecting each other. Be the one on the outside when we need it."

Hulk scoffed and turned away. "You only want Hulk to smash."

"I don't want you to get so bored on the spaceship that you smash a hole in the wall!" Bruce tried to level himself after snapping, but maybe he didn't need to do that here. Even so, he took a breath." And I don't think you want that either. I know you don't want to hurt Thor or Valkyrie. Even if you want to hurt Loki--"

"Hey," Loki said, offended.

"--or me. There's a bunch of innocent people on the ship, and I think you want to protect them too."

"So make Hulk hide?" Hulk turned on Bruce so fast, he was sure Hulk was going for a punch, but while Hulk's hands were tightened into fists, he kept them to himself. "Hulk don't hide! Hulk fight! Win!"

"There's no one to fight!" Bruce exclaimed. "Except me. And I can't fight you. You'll win every time. So I'm asking you: can we do this together?"

Hulk flopped onto the floor, sitting with his legs splayed out, looking almost childlike. "Hulk want both."

Bruce tilted his head to the side. "Both what?"

"Protect. And smash." Hulk held out his hand.

Carefully, Bruce reached over and took it. His hand was tiny in Hulk's giant one, but strangely, they fit together. "Maybe we can both take some time to think about it. And if Loki wouldn't mind getting us another of these meetings, we could... really figure it out."

"Yeah. Do that."

With the agreement set, Bruce blinked, and he was sitting on the floor of the spare room, his head cradled between Loki's hands. His breathing was heavy, and as he adjusted to the physical space again, he could hear Loki's breathing was also labored. Maybe even more so. Loki _had_ been the one doing most of the work.

"Wow," Bruce breathed. "That was... that was great. Thank you. Loki, that was -- thank you."

Loki opened his eyes, and as they looked at each other, Bruce became increasingly aware of how close they were to each other, and how, even after being held for several minutes, Loki's fingers were still cold.

"You're welcome," Loki said, pulling his hands away. He slumped against the wall, his head hitting it with a soft _thunk_. "It was quite illuminating."

Bruce ran a hand through his hair, as if Loki had somehow messed it up. As if Bruce styled it in some particular way. "Illuminating?"

"I've never understood how a timid man and a raging beast could be one in the same. But you're not. You're both different, but inhabiting the same body. I don't know how I could have missed it. The beast can actually be quite placid."

"When he wants to be," Bruce replied faintly. "I told him we could meet again, is that--"

Loki waved a dismissive hand. "It's fine. I've nothing better to do while we float through space."

"Me either, I guess." Bruce got to his feet and started for the door. "Thanks again, Loki. I mean it."

"Of course." Loki pulled his mouth into a smirk. "And if you need help sleeping, let me know."

Bruce blinked a couple of times. There were a handful of ways to take that. "I, uh, yeah. I'll do that."

* * *

Catching up with Thor was a challenge these days. Bruce _saw_ him plenty, as there were only so many places he could be in the confines of the _Statesman_ , but actually being able to have a sit down conversation with the ruling king of Asgard took some strategic planning.

Which is why Bruce sat down across from Thor while he was eating lunch the next day without any preamble. "Hey, can we talk for a minute?"

"Of course," Thor replied, wiping the corner of his mouth with his thumb. "What can I do for you?"

"So, uh, how--how much are you trusting Loki these days?" 

Thor chuckled, and he seemed to relax a little bit. Maybe because Bruce wasn't asking about food stores or sewage. "It's always a bit of a gamble, trusting Loki. The moment you think you know what you're dealing with, he goes off in another direction. Anymore, I don't think he even knows if he's loyal or about to betray. But at this moment, I trust he wants to survive and surviving on this ship means loyalty. I think he's the most trustworthy he's ever been. Why do you ask?"

Bruce shrugged. "I just.. I ran into him the other day, yesterday, and there was this thing where he could go in my head so I could talk to the other guy and--"

"Banner." Thor reached across the table and grabbed Bruce's arm, pulling him closer, but mostly Bruce just ended up with the side of the table lodged in his gut.. Maybe it was an effect of the eye patch, but his serious expression was a lot more serious than it used to be. "Under no circumstances should you allow Loki into your mind, do you hear me? No one should, but you least of all. Who knows what he could do in there."

"Oh." Bruce swallowed hard, but his mouth was dry. "What if I... already did?"

Thor blinked and released Bruce's arm. He sat back on his seat. "I'm sure it's fine."

" _Fine?_ "

"Loki's been doing really well lately."

"Thor, you just said--"

"If you want me to make you feel better, calmer, then listen to what I'm saying now: it's probably fine."

"Probably," Bruce echoed.

Thor speared some unrecognizable alien vegetable with a fork. "I wouldn't suggest doing it _again_ , but if you feel fine, it's fine."

Bruce wasn't sure why he thought Thor was going to insist that Loki was completely reformed and anything that could help Bruce with the Hulk was a good thing. Instead, he felt a bit queasy around the whole thing. And he could hardly _stop_. He told Hulk he would be back, that they would talk more. If he went back on his promise, Hulk would never trust him again.

"Thanks, Thor, that's been really helpful," Bruce stood up, and he started to walk away, but he stopped. "Hey, did Loki, when you were kids, make you sleep as a joke?"

Thor gave a mighty laugh, throwing his head back, and then slamming his hand against the table as he looked brightly up at Bruce. "I haven't thought about that in years. It was quite amusing. It was nice when Loki's tricks were so mild."

"I bet it was." Bruce gave an awkward wave and left the cafeteria. If Thor said he shouldn't let Loki back in his mind, that was good advice. But he was going to have to come up with another plan.

* * *

"This is a terrible plan," Loki said.

Bruce threw his hands in the air. "I don't know what else to do. I told him we'd think about it, and I don't know about him, but I can't think when he's on the outside. He deserves a turn."

"And what if he doesn't want to turn back? What will you do then?"

"That's why I invited her." Bruce looked over his shoulder at Valkyrie, who was sitting in the corner of the large room they'd chosen for the turnover. She was drinking something strong and foul smelling, but her gaze was alert. "You said it yourself, she can corral him. He likes her."

"Well, that makes one of us." Loki pulled a displeased face as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"You don't like her? I think she's nice -- or something. She kind of scares me, but she's..." Bruce wasn't sure what his feelings about Valkyrie were. Perhaps there was some bleedover from the Hulk's fondness, because he was drawn to her.

Loki rolled his eyes. "I like her fine. She's the only one us the Hulk likes. He certainly doesn't like me, and I don't know why you invited me here to be in his presence."

Bruce blinked. Why _did_ he invite Loki? "I guess if we weren't going to go back in my head, I wanted to tell you."

Loki raised his chin. "You spoke to Thor. He told you not to trust me."

"That's not what he said." Bruce took a step closer to Loki. "But... maybe another way is better moving forward."

"Of course. I ask for trust that hasn't yet been earned. It may never be. You didn't need to bring me down here to see your ridiculous display to tell me that." Loki gave him a long stare, and then he sighed. "Be careful, Bruce."

"I..."

Loki turned before Bruce could finish his thought, and he left.

"I guess that means we're getting started," Valkyrie said, walking up behind him.

Bruce was still staring out the open door Loki had exited through. "Yeah. Let's do this."

"All right, then." She turned and punched him in the face. Everything went black, and then Bruce ceased to be.

The passage of time when he was gone and the Hulk moved through the world was strange. It felt simultaneously like no time at all and all the time in the world, no matter if he had been gone for two hours or two years. It all felt the same.

When he opened his eyes, he was staring at the ceiling. It was a familiar ceiling. It was his own room on the _Statesman_ , except on the floor instead of laying in his bed.

"What happened?" Bruce asked hoarsely. He tried to sit up, but his head felt like it was full of rocks. That never happened. Waking up from being Hulk was energizing, refreshing, his body healed of whatever ailed it. This was the opposite of that. "How long was I out?"

"Two weeks," came a quiet voice. It took Bruce a second to recognize the voice as Loki's. "Give or take."

Bruce lifted his head and saw Loki on the floor, leaning against the bed, his dark hair hanging like a curtain over his face, only a sliver of blue eye peering through it. 

And he was barefoot. One Bruce's attention caught onto this detail, he couldn't stop staring. They were perfectly normal feet, but Bruce had never seen Loki not wearing shoes before, and he'd never considered that Loki had soft, vulnerable soles like anyone else.

"What happened?" Bruce asked again. He sat up slowly, a little dizzy, but at least his brain didn't feel like it was going to fall out of his head this time. He was naked, which was pretty normal for coming out of a Hulk-state, and had his lower half had been covered with a blanket.

Loki drew a knee to his chest, nearly folding himself in half. "The ship was attacked."

"Attacked? Is everyone okay--?"

"No losses. Some injures, but between my brother and the beast, the damage was minimal."Loki bit his lower lip. "I believe he truly acted on his word of wanting to protect."

Bruce blinked. There was a strange melancholy to Loki's words that he didn't quite grasp. "Is Hulk... dead?" It seemed like a stupid question. If one of them died, they both died. They were in this together. At least that much of it.

"No, but he took more damage that I think he's accustomed to. I believe he's going to retreat for some time while he heals."

"Okay, yeah. Why are _you_ telling me this? Where's Thor or, or, Valkyrie?"

Loki frowned. "Would you prefer their presence?"

"No, I'm just confused by yours."

Loki was quiet for a long moment, and in the span of silence, Bruce could nearly hear the sound of Loki's beating heart. Finally, he said, "I may have taken something from the vault before reviving Sutur."

Bruce frowned, and then it dawned on him. "The tesseract."

"Yes. Outside of the protection of Odin's vault, it was like a beacon." Loki swallowed audibly. "I nearly got all of us killed."

It was probably worth asking if the enemy had gotten the tesseract, or if it was still on the ship, but Loki seemed torn up enough and both outcomes were equally bad, in different ways. Bruce clutched at the blanket.

"The Hulk defended me when the others... did not," Loki continued. "He seemed to be under the impression that this is what you would want."

Bruce shook his head and that was a mistake. He was instantly dizzy. "Since when does Hulk care what I want?"

"Since you asked him what he wanted, I'd presume." Loki scooted forward, the typically awkward motion somehow graceful when he did it, and rested his hand on Bruce's chest. "Was he correct?"

Bruce's breath hitched at the contact. "Yeah, I mean -- I wasn't there, I don't know the specifics, but.... Probably, sure."

That didn't sound very convincing, but Loki either took him at his word, or saw right through him. 

Loki leaned in closer, his hand cupping Bruce's cheek. The memory of Loki's fingers in his hair, the cool touch of him on Bruce's face, it made him hold his breath for a second. He was suddenly very aware that he was naked.

"I know you don't want me in your mind," Loki said, his voice low and silky. It was dangerous. This whole thing should have been setting off every alarm bell in Bruce's mind, but instead it only made him want to know what Loki was going to say next. "But perhaps you could find another place you'd prefer me."

"Oh, this is a bad idea," Bruce said as he exhaled.

"I couldn't agree more," Loki replied, and kissed him.

Bruce grabbed the front of Loki's shirt and pulled him closer, his hands working of their own accord. _He_ would never do that, never kiss Loki back, and yet, he was, and holding Loki there, as not to let him pull away. His body tingled, growing hot all over, in contrast to Loki's surprisingly cool mouth against his own, like sucking on a mint.

Bruce laughed at his own stupid, incomprehensible thought.

Loki pulled back as well as he could with Bruce still holding onto him. "Is this funny to you?"

"No. I mean, yeah, it kind of is." He laughed again. "We were just kissing and you've tried to kill me. I don't know what part of that isn't funny."

"That was quite a long time ago," Loki said stiffly.

"Not really." Bruce thought for a second about the first time he ever laid eyes on Loki, through the window of a lab. They had been looking for the tesseract that day, too. Strange, how it always came back to that. "And not to rub it in, but you put everyone on this ship at risk _today_. I'd be crazy to take this any further than we have right now."

Loki gazed at him for a moment, but didn't pull away. "Would you like me to stop, then?"

Bruce paused. There was no future for this that he could see. It was madness, the mere idea of even this single kiss, let alone anything more. Yet, he still had his fist clenched around the front of Loki's shirt, and his gaze caught again on Loki's bare feet. He wondered what other bits of Loki's bare skin he'd never considered before. What other parts of him were soft.

"No. Don't stop."

"Very well," Loki replied. He brushed his lips to Bruce's cheek. "Let's take this further."


End file.
